


Apples

by PolyPairings



Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Apples, Bonding, Family Bonding, Fluff, Found Family, Game: Halo: Reach, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Noble Six, Incorrect Harvest Time, Team Bonding, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:35:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26002753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PolyPairings/pseuds/PolyPairings
Summary: Noble Six figures out a way to bring a small bit of happiness to their team, and boost morale amongst some marines while they're at it.
Relationships: Noble Six & Noble Four, Noble Six & Noble One, Noble Six & Noble Three
Comments: 16
Kudos: 33





	Apples

Spatterings of rain, the remnants of a past storm hits the roof of the two-story house. The air is humid and sticky, but the breeze blowing in through some broken windows is cold.

The marines closest to the windows get goosebumps from the cool wind, or perhaps they get them for a different reason. The Spartans in their armor do not feel it, of course. 

The voice of Commander Carter-A259 carries in the small space.

"In ten hours, we will attack. Noble Three will take first watch as look-out to keep an eye out for any Covenant, and I want a watch scheduled among you. Noble Six will be going on reconnaissance to the Covenant base. You all will get your assignments when they get back and a plan is formed. For now, rest and wait, but stay vigilant."

Dismissed, the marines break apart and into smaller groups. They talk amongst themselves, and the watch schedule is ultimately decided using games of rock-paper-scissors. They separate themselves from the Spartans, either subconsciously or on purpose, and sit or stand in groups in the destroyed living room.

Carter, Emile and Six gather in what used to be the kitchen while Jun takes his SRS99-AM and heads up the stairs to the bedrooms to try and find a window onto the roof.

"Give me a few to confirm coordinates and details, Six," Carter says as he spreads his map out on the table. It's paper rather than hologram, suiting the nature of the stealth op.

Six nods, and leans against a wall near Emile, arms crossed. Emile takes out his kukri and sharpens it against his armor, likely finding amusement in the wary glances and fear it causes among the marines.

They can sense the tension and nervous energy in the air. The marines make up for it by goofing around and making jokes, as they're wont to do.

"I know these things taste like shit usually, but man these are bad tonight," a marine complains.

"I know, right? It tastes like a cockroach that crawled out of a moa's ass," one replies.

"How would you know what that tastes like, Harvey?"

The marines laugh, but Six notices other marines that are struggling to eat their MREs.

Emile gives a dark chuckle at their behavior.

"They'll be facing death in a few hours, and they're complaining about the eats," he says in explanation when Six turns their head to him.

Carter looks up from where he's been comparing his tacpad to the map on the old kitchen table.

"Six, come here."

The topographical map covers a large area, with small black dots representing houses and barns. A grouping of three is circled in red marker, along with the one the team and marines are in.

"You'll circle around the fields, don't get any closer than thirty feet. Use your active camo as much as possible. I want you transmit visuals to me, then watch the patrols for a while, get a feel of how often they move. Once you finish, make your way back here. Do what you need to do to make sure you aren't followed."

"Yes sir."

They turn to leave at Carter's dismissive nod without saying anything else. Six is usually a person of a few words.

* * *

Six spends two hours observing the small gathering of houses that the Covenant have turned into a base. Smaller Covenant bases like this are usually ignored, but this one is a bit too close to Camp Independence for comfort.

They're never spotted, at least not to their knowledge, but they do have a close call. A returning group of Skirmisher scouts had run right by Six's post hidden behind some rocks. They didn't notice them thanks to the active camo unit. If Six had worse hearing or reflexes, the mission would have been a bust.

They begin their hike back to base once they've watched the rotation of the patrols and have gotten an estimate on numbers of the different members of the Covenant present. They double back several times, and turn on their active camo periodically to make sure they aren't tracked by any Skirmishers or Elites.

They pass through more farm fields, and eventually come across an orchard close to their temporary base. They travel through without pausing, but slow to a stop when they find a shed not far from it. Six approaches one of trees. They're surprised to see apples on it in August, but then the climate of Reach is varied, and crops can be genetically modified. It would make sense to try and have food available year-round rather than stick to a standard harvesting schedule.

Silently, they investigate the old wooden shed. It has tools not out of the ordinary; branch cutters, a saw, a rake, ladders stacked against the outside, empty barrels, and a small pile of burlap sacks in one corner. Six picks up one of the sacks and shakes it out, judging the size of it. They pause, assessing. They grab the rake and effortlessly tear a tine of metal off of it before holding it up to a weapons hard point on their armor. It sticks to the magnet, as they expected. They glance at the sack in their hand, at the apple trees, then back at the sack. They make a decision.

* * *

The marines ignore Six when they enter apart from a few glances, and no one notices their extra cargo. Six returns to what used to be the kitchen, where the Spartans have been separated and Carter has set up. Jun has apparently finished with his watch, as he sits beneath a window, cleaning his rifle. Emile is lounging on the floor, his head leaned against the wall and arms crossed over his chest. Carter is watching the visual Six sent them, and is marking different landmarks and cover on the paper map.

"Commander, sir."

Carter looks up. "Welcome back, Six. What'd you find?"

"I counted five Minors, and two Majors. One Ranger. At least fifteen Grunts and seven standard Jackals. Three Jackal snipers, one on each roof. There's at least one team of three Skirmisher scouts, they went back to base about an hour into my observation. They have Grunts guarding perimeter, with Jackals to keep them in line. Elite Minors rotate around the perimeter every fifteen minutes to keep them in line, each starting at a house and going full circle. Should be able to take at least two of them by surprise if we move in from this location," they point it out on the map.

"Good job, Six. You weren't followed?"

"No."

"Hey Six, watcha got there?"

Emile is now sitting up, arms uncrossed and helmet angled towards the burlap sack hanging from Six's waist. Jun glances over as well.

Six pulls the sack off the magnetic hard point, forcing open the metal they'd bent around it to attach it to their armor.

They thunk it down on the table Carter's map is on and reach into it. A small orb-shaped object is pulled out and tossed to Emile, who catches it.

"An apple?" A ripe red apple is now in his hand, which Emile stares at in some confusion and disbelief.

Six opens the bag more, showing the contents to Carter and Jun, who has carefully stepped over his disassembled rifle to see.

Carter looks at the multitude of apples silently with a carefully neutral face. Jun mutters a small "Sweet!" and snags a couple, retreating quickly back to his spot.

Six pulls out four more, and sets them on the table. They move two of them over in front of Carter where he stands.

Emile comes up next to them, helmet off and crunching on his first to pat Six on the back in gratitude and grab another one.

"Thanks Six," Jun calls over with a full mouth.

Carter has put on his 'I'm-not-mad-just-disappointed' face and watches this silently. Jun and Emile ignore him, glad it's not aimed at them.

"Six..." he says with a warning tone, waiting for an explanation.

"I collected them from an orchard less than a klick away. I wasn't followed, and it only took three minutes to collect them. I kept track."

Six glances over their shoulder at the marines, some of whom are watching the exchange, and most of whom have their eye on the bag of apples. A few have their eyes on Emile's scarred face, him crunching on his first apple without care.

"Thought it would boost morale," they mutter quietly, looking back at Carter for a second before setting their gaze to the floor.

Carter sighs, but relents. It will boost morale, and it's a nice thing to do.

"Just let me know or ask me permission next time, okay?"

"Yes sir," they nod.

Carter shakes his head fondly. He pats Six on the shoulder, and takes his apples with him to the other side of his table to his map.

Six picks up the heavy sack easily with one hand and brings it over to the marines.

They watch silently as they tread steadily between a few sitting on the ground and plops it on the ground in the center of their group.

"Don't eat too much," they say simply before retreating back to the Spartans' corner.

Emile pats the floor next to them and scoots over for them to sit.

The marines hesitate a little, but the bravest one bites into an apple and says it's good, which causes a small flurry as the rest of them fight and jostle each other in a friendly way to get at the bag.

There's more laughter among them. The tense and nervous air that permeated the room abates somewhat.

Six gets a short nap, reclining next to Emile on the floor with their head leaned back against the wall.

They even manage to take out the base with no casualties, only injuries


End file.
